San Diego is home to some of the nation’s finest cancer centers, where ground-breaking cancer research and treatment serve children and adults living with cancer. Padres Pedal the Cause raises money to fund research projects that are translational and collaborative in order to find new prevention or treatments for different kinds of cancer. We have carefully chosen our renowned beneficiaries with an eye toward innovation, patient care, and excellent research and results. 100% of the proceeds we raise go to the vital cancer research conducted by our carefully chosen beneficiaries.

We are proud to say that one of the beneficiaries of our Padres Pedal the Cause events is the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP). One of only seven NCI-designated basic cancer research centers in the country, SBP combines biological research with early translational studies to discover new therapies that bring hope to patients fighting cancer. The proceeds we raise each year go to the life-saving cancer research conducted at this independent nonprofit research organization. SBP invests in the talent, technology, and partnerships that help accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries that have a profound impact on patients.

Currently, one of the research programs taking place at SBP is the investigation of cancer metabolism and signaling in order to help identify therapeutic targets and design tumor-specific therapies that are less toxic. This research helps scientists and doctors understand how tumors use pathways and signals to reprogram their metabolism in an effort to evade normal cell death. As a result of SBP’s interdisciplinary approach in understanding new cancer pathways, they are at the cutting edge of translating their research findings into better medicines for cancer treatment.

One of the struggles with current cancer treatment is that the toxic therapies—like chemotherapy—are very hard on patients, and yet tumor cells can often endure the stress of the therapies. The studies taking place at SBP will help researchers identify the key proteins within cancer cells that make them resistant to therapies and, ultimately, will allow for more targeted therapy that is more effective on the cancer cells and is overall less toxic for patients. The success of this research will lead directly to better therapy for cancer patients.

Padres Pedal the Cause funds a variety of cancer research projects we believe in, and SBP’s research has great potential to help target tumors more precisely in order to minimize the need for patients to undergo toxic therapies. This research could have a significant effect on the quality of life for cancer patients. SBP is recognized for its world-class NCI-designated Cancer Center and the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, where they address unmet clinical needs in the areas of cancer, neuroscience, immunity, and metabolic disorders via drug discovery and cutting edge research. We look forward to continuing to partner with SBP to help find a way create a world without cancer.